Analyst Believes Chiefs 'May Regret' Lack of a Veteran Tackle

A recent article highlighted a perceived roster flaw for Kansas City, pointing to the left side of the offensive line.

Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs guard Joe Thuney (62) and offensive / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

As currently constructed, the Kansas City Chiefs' roster doesn't have many holes. The club entered the 2024 NFL Draft still needing to address a few positions, which general manager Brett Veach and Co. promptly took care of.

Despite Kansas City's offseason investments, some folks aren't completely sold on a few positions being sure things to produce good results. Left tackle is one of them, drawing an emphasis on caution from a major outlet.

In an article for Bleacher Report, Maurice Moton analyzed each Super Bowl LIX contender's potentially fatal roster flaw. The pick for the Chiefs was Patrick Mahomes facing "insurmountable pocket pressure" stemming from the offensive line, mainly the left side.

Although right tackle Jawaan Taylor is mentioned by Moton, BR scout Brandon Thorn isn't fully buying into the hype for 2023 draft pick Wanya Morris or 2024 second-rounder Kingsley Suamataia. His pre-draft scouting report backs his stance up.

"'Overall, Suamataia has the physical tools of a starting tackle with an unrefined skill set that is built on flashes rather than proven consistency,' Thorn wrote. 'But he'll be only 21 when he gets drafted, and he has the runway to add polish to his game and bridge that gap within his first contract in an RPO/play-action-based system that can help bring him along slowly.'"

Moton hints at the need for Kansas City to go after a more experienced option instead of counting on a young player to protect Mahomes's blind side.

"The Chiefs could plug in 2023 third-rounder Wanya Morris at left tackle, where he started four games last season, but he isn't a proven starter," Moton wrote. "If the Chiefs don't sign a veteran tackle with starting experience, they may regret it."

While any blend of fans and local or national media may believe an addition would help smooth things over at left tackle, Veach doesn't seem to agree. Late last month, the championship-winning executive said the club will use its upcoming OTA period to assess things. Furthermore, he indicated that the Chiefs "feel good right now" letting their in-house candidates battle it out.

If Kansas City were to acquire an offensive tackle with starting experience, a Donovan Smith reunion would make sense. Smith, still a free agent after an up-and-down season, came off as open to the idea in a recent podcast appearance. With that said, it takes two to tango regarding a deal being struck. Right now, the Chiefs simply don't want to go down that path and feel they have two quality options already in the fold.

As a result, Veach and his staff are taking a calculated risk. Letting Morris take the outright starting job without question wasn't in their plans, so they brought in Suamataia to serve as healthy competition. That's what the Chiefs will stick with for now and until they share the same concern as Moton and Thorn, things probably won't deviate.

Read More: Chiefs Given 'A' Grade for 2024 Offseason by PFF